Grass Routes meets Social Enterprise

Eariler this month I met up with Deniz Hassan from the Social Enterprise Magazine team. He and two of his buddies where roaring along the east coast of India as part of The Adventurist' rickshaw run. Deniz stopped by to chat about the Social Enterprise magazine and learn about our operations at Grass Routes.

Our work as a social enterprise can be understood by our commitments to the following:

1. employment & economies: We are committed toward local employment and economies. We employ local staff including local leaders that accompany all our journeys, local village representatives, taxi drivers, boatmen, chefs and forest guides. Furthermore we employ village representatives and local specialists when and wherever possible. We believe in providing local communities a voice and an opportunity to grow. We encourage their participation in all our initiatives.

2. incorporate the services of local providers (such as hotels, cycle rickshaw drivers and forest guards) in all our journeys. We utilize the services of locally owned and managed hotels. In more remote areas we camp. whereby we contribute provisions that are divided among the entire community.

3. encouraging travellers to eat in local restaurants wherever possible providing information about local specialities and where they can be found. In rural areas villages prepare delicious home-cooked meals for which they are duly compensated.

4. encouraging our travellers to buy directly from local traders and purchase locally produced products (such as biodegradable soap, shampoo & sunscreen). We provide opportunities for our travellers to purchase directly from local craftsmen and artisans and maintain a strict ‘no-commissions’ policy. Grass Routes contributes to the revival of ancient folk art by drawing attention to local artisans and indigenous communities often marginalised by the average consumer.

5. supporting local development: Grass Routes always promotes local interaction. We believe mutual understanding is the best foundation for tourism related services. We encourage open dialogue and active participation. We provide opportunities for local people to learn skills necessary to become part of our business operation. Our travellers lounge and information centre is a creative space for knowledge sharing and open to travellers and locals alike. Additionally we initiate field based capacity building and provide practical hands-on training to locals.

We recognise the need for relationships built on trust and guided by sound leadership. The very root cause of our companies operations is to provide opportunities, revive ancient traditions and inject new vigor into local communities. By connecting cultures Grass Routes bridges boundaries and opens up possibilities.